Rhinoleucophenga joaquina Schmitz, Gottschalk & Valente

Poppe, Jean Lucas, Schmitz, Hermes José & Valente, Vera Lúcia Da Silva, 2015, The New World genus Rhinoleucophenga (Diptera: Drosophilidae): new species and notes on occurrence records, Zootaxa 3955 (3), pp. 349-370 : 359-360

Rhinoleucophenga joaquina Schmitz, Gottschalk & Valente

( Figures 8 a–c; 9a–c)

R. joaquina Schmitz et al., 2009: 786 –790

Type series. 2♀ labelled “ Rhinoleucophenga joaquina ; Specimen 0 1 ♀; Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Bossoroca. 28°45’01”S 54°56’55”W, 12.x.2013 col.: JL Poppe; banana bait”. Specimen 0 2 ♀; Brazil, Bahia, Estação Ecológica Raso da Catarina/ Município de Paulo Afonso. 9°30'39"S 38°32'12"W, 22.iv.2012 col.: GF Oliveira; banana bait”. Holotype and paratypes are deposited in CEIOC /Fiocruz.

Diagnosis. Head covered with ca. 55 (50–60) scattered interfrontal setulae, arista microtrichose, with ca. 10 very short dorsal branches and 6 ventral branches ( Fig. 8 a). One strong pair of prescutellar acrostichal setae ( Fig. 8 b). Legs yellow, wings hyaline ( Fig. 8 c). The abdominal color pattern yellow, with black, medially interrupted marginal bands and a medial black stripe extending from the tip of the abdomen to tergite III or IV ( Fig. 8 b).

♀. Head ( Fig. 8 a). Frons yellowish covered with ca. 55 (50–60) scattered interfrontal setulae. Frontal length = 0.61mm (0.60–0.62); frontal index = 1.27 (1.24–1.30); top-to-bottom width ratio = 1.00 (0.92–1.08); ocellar triangle to frontal length ratio = 0.36 (0.33–0.38); or1/or3 ratio = 1.53; or2/or1 ratio = 0.35. Carina prominent, nose-like. Cheek index = 5.25 (4.24–6.26). Eye index = 1.30 (1.27–1.32). Antenna with flagellomeres of the same color as front, arista microtrichose with ca. 10 dorsal branches and 6 ventral branches plus terminal fork. Palpus yellowish with ca. 20 setae on lower part.

Thorax ( Fig. 8 b). Scutum homogeneously brownish or with three faint longitudinal stripes slightly darker. Thorax length 1.38mm (1.33–1.44). 14 rows of acrostichal setulae. 1 pair of prescutellar setae, about 57% of posterior dorsocentral setae. Postpronotum with one setae. Transverse distance between dorsocentral setae 4.71x (4.42–5.00) the longitudinal distance. Basal scutellar setae divergent. Sterno index = 0.89; median katepisternal setae absent; pleura brownish. Halteres whitish yellow. Legs yellow.

Wings ( Fig. 8 c). Hyaline. Length 3.3mm (3.1–3.5); width 1.47mm (1.4–1.55). Indices: C = 3.25 (3–3.5); hb = 0.41 (0.40–0.43); Ac = 1.24 (1.11–1.36); 4c = 1.00 (1.00–1.00); 4v = 2.45 (2.23–2.66); 5x = 1.57 (1.46–1.68); M = 0.81 (0.73–0.90); prox.x = 0.98 (0.96–1.00).

Abdomen ( Fig. 8 b). Yellow, with black, medially interrupted marginal bands on tergites and a medial black stripe extending from the tip of the abdomen to tergite III or IV.

Body length: 3.62mm (3.50–3.75).

Terminalia ♀ ( Fig. 9 a–c). Cerci long with many longer apical setae on each one. Epiproct short with few subequal setae. Hypoproct wider than long. Spermathecal capsule rounded, basal introvert reaching ca. ¾ of inner capsule.

Type locality. Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Bossoroca (28°45’01”S 54°56’55”W).

Distribution. Males known previously only from the type-locality ( Joaquina , Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil). Now the distribution is extended southwards to Pampa (Bossoroca, Rio Grande do Sul) and northwards to Caatinga (Raso da Catarina, Paulo Afonso, Bahia).

Biology. Previously this species has been found breeding in Dyckia encholirioides (Bromeliaceae) flowers in coastal dunes ( Schmitz et al. 2009). Collected in fermented-banana traps, along the edges of forest patches in pampas, and in the Caatinga sensu strictu.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Female of R. joaquina collected in Bossoroca, Rio Grande do Sul. a: head, frontal view; b: thorax and abdomen, dorsal view; c: wing (scale bar 0.7 mm).

FIGURE 9. Female terminalia of R. joaquina collected in Bossoroca, Rio Grande do Sul. a: ventral view; b: spermathecal capsule; c: dorsal view (scale bar: 0.1 mm).